Every year when the weather turns warm I hit my favorite local nursery to pick up tomato plants for my garden. Every year they get more and more expensive…sigh. What if you could buy just one plant and use it to not only grow tomatoes but also use it to propagate as many more plants as you wanted? It’s not hard to do at all and won’t cost you hardly anything to do it. With a little time and patience you can grow bushels of tomatoes and save yourself loads of money. Home grown, vine ripened, summer sweet tomatoes. Nature’s candy. It doesn’t get much better than that.
Worried about what to do with all the tomatoes you are going to grow? Fresh pureed tomatoes are the perfect base for making homemade tomato soup with a grilled cheese sandwich. You can freeze tomatoes to use later in the year or you can preserve them using this Easy Canning and Preserving Method To Make Crushed Tomatoes. Crushed tomatoes can be used in all your marinara sauce recipes, or to make your very own homemade pizza sauce; so much tastier than anything you can pick up at the market in a jar or can. This easy to do canning method doesn’t require peeling your tomatoes either, saving you loads of time and effort. If you’ve always wanted to try your hand at canning, this is the perfect method for first timers and beginners.
This propagation method uses suckers that are removed from a tomato plant growing in your garden. Start by locating suckers on your tomato plant. Suckers are shoots that grow from the “V” between a branch and the main stem of the plant.
Many gardeners believe that removing these suckers is beneficial for the plant because it forces the plant to focus its energy on producing more tomatoes instead of producing more stems. Other gardeners believe removing the suckers reduces yields. Whichever camp you’re on, removing just a few suckers to create more plants will ultimately produce more plants, resulting in more tomatoes for everyone to enjoy!
IMPORTANT TO NOTE: Determinate plants are tomato plants that will grow to a specific height and will stop growing. Pinching off suckers or shoots will not benefit these plants. Make sure you are working with an indeterminate tomato plant when trying this propagation method for best results. Most nurseries label their tomato plants so you know which kind you have.
If you’re removing suckers, instead of tossing them into the compost heap you can use them to grow more tomato plants. Remove the lower leaves from each stem and place the stems in a jar of water. A glass jar makes it easy to keep an eye on their progress and make sure the water level is adequate with just a glance.
Replace the water every couple of days and keep an eye on the water level. The suckers will drink up quite a bit of water each day.
After five days you should notice some small roots forming all along the section of stem submerged in the water.
After seven days the roots will become much more pronounced.
After 12-14 days the roots will be growing quite vigorously and it’s time to get them potted and into some soil.
Cuttings can be planted in soil between 10 to 14 days. Just be sure they have developed a good root system before planting them.
You can either pot them up or plant them directly into your garden beds. Place rooted stems in the soil and be sure to cover all the roots along the length of the stem. It’s better to bury them deep than shallow.
Water well, allowing excess water to drain off.
That’s all there is to it!!! Water them regularly and make sure they get at least 6-8 hours of full sun each day.
After a few weeks you will be harvesting more tomatoes than you will know what to do with, and it only set you back the cost of purchasing one tomato plant instead of several.
Need some more ideas for what to do with your bounty of tomatoes? One of my all time favorite summertime meals using tomatoes from my garden is this Grilled Chicken Caprese Salad. Adding a perfectly grilled, juicy, chicken breast, & creamy avocado to a Caprese Salad turns it into a hearty meal bursting with fresh flavors.
If you’re in the mood for something a little cheesy, try this Delectable Cheesy Oven Baked Caprese Dip. Creamy, melty cheese, sweet roasted tomatoes, and fresh basil; all the fresh flavors of summer come together in this delectable hot dip. This is a real crowd pleaser!
Need some fresh basil to go along with some of those fresh tomatoes? Grow your own. It’s one of the easiest herbs to grow and once you learn the secret to Properly Harvesting Basil you will never run out of it again. You’ll be enjoying it all summer long. Let’s face it tomatoes and basil go together like bread and butter, or wine and cheese, right?
If you’re feeling really ambitious why not try your hand at baking up your very own baguettes of bread. Baking baguettes at home doesn’t have to be difficult. This easy no-knead technique produces lovely loaves that rival the store bought variety. Learn how to make; No-knead Homemade French Bread Baguettes. Slice up a loaf and you have the perfect scoopers for scooping up some of that hot oven baked caprese dip.
Go on, get outside and get some dirt under your fingernails. It’s good for the soul and you’ll reap the rewards of all your efforts out in the garden all summer long. There’s nothing better than fresh tomatoes that you’ve grown in your own garden. Sweet, juicy, sun ripened tomatoes are nature’s candy.
Have You Tried This?
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